


The Ties That Bind

by Traycer



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Cliche, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-20
Updated: 2011-08-20
Packaged: 2017-10-22 20:44:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/242384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traycer/pseuds/Traycer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Sam Carter and Jack O'Neill just need a little push</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A cliche fic written for Day of Indulgence 2009. I figured a forced marriage and chained to a bed would possibly be considered a cliche...

**Chapter 1**

"They want me to do what?"

General Jack O'Neill sat at his desk in Stargate Command, feeling as if his whole world was about to fall out from under him. Surely he hadn't heard right. Daniel Jackson stood on the other side of the desk with an expression that said he'd rather be anywhere but in that spot, while Teal'c stood patiently next to his teammate, stoically refusing to be brought into the whole thing.

"I'm not sure how it happened," Daniel said. "We met with the leaders of that village on P4C-929, and were making progress toward a possible treaty, but we had to do it without Sam. She had been pulled away from us the minute we got there, and taken to a home nearby."

"They believe it is a crime for a single woman to travel alone with two men who are not related to her," Teal'c butt in calmly, obviously deciding to get involved after all. "Daniel Jackson tried to reason with them, but to no avail."

"Which is par for the course," Daniel muttered, still mad about his failure to convince those other natives on his last mission. Jack would have grinned at his friend's discomfort if he weren't so upset about the news they had just given him. He was having a hard time wrapping his thoughts around what they wanted him to do.

Daniel, on the other hand, decided to finish the story. "Several of the women dragged Sam off to a house in the village," he said. "And after awhile one of them came out and told us that the only way she could save Sam from certain death was if we bring you to her."

"Me," Jack said, his mind frantically working on a way out of this. "You're sure they want me?" Daniel shrugged as he nodded, but Jack was still at a loss. There was no way he would be coerced into this. "They don't even know me. Why would they ask for me?"

"Apparently, Sam told them about you," Daniel said, his expression now worried. "Look, I'm not entirely sure what went down, but they said they would stone Sam to death if you don't come back and marry her. It's the only way."

"And you guys agreed?" Anger at the indignity of it all made Jack want to smash something. As much as he cared about Colonel Samantha Carter, he would not be forced into it by anybody. He changed his tone to a sarcastic one, hoping to make them understand the stupidity of this whole mess. "And you just said, okay. We'll bring him right to you."

"We did not, O'Neill," Teal'c said. "I attempted to reason with them, as did Daniel Jackson. Nothing we said made a difference. They were determined to do _the right thing_ for Colonel Carter."

"Well, I have a solution for you," Jack said, seriously considering grabbing Carter and nuking the place, just for the hell of it. "You go back to that planet without me, and when they start throwing stones, shoot every last person holding a rock. Take SG-3 with you." He glared at his friends, knowing he wouldn't let them risk Carter's life, no matter how much he wanted to destroy that place. He just wanted to stall until he could think of something better.

"Come on Jack," Daniel said, his tone now wheedling. "How bad can it be? You might even be able to convince them that marriage is out of the question. And besides, it wouldn't be legal here on Earth anyway. You say the right words and we go home." He smiled encouragingly, then said, "Come on. This is Sam we're talking about."

Jack nodded, well aware of the situation at hand. He just didn't want to consider the consequences if he went through the Stargate to marry one of his subordinates. A federal penitentiary was not on his list of places to live in before he died. But all sarcastic exaggeration aside, he couldn't risk Carter's death. His thoughts went back to all the times he had thought he lost her, a peculiar feeling settling in his gut as he remembered the pain he experienced whenever that happened. He cared for her deeply, a feeling he rarely admitted to, if at all.

"Jack?"

He nodded at Daniel, his thoughts still swirling in his mind. An idea came to him, and he couldn't hide the anguish he felt, as he asked, "What if we can't convince them that they're wrong?"

"Then we blast our way out of there," Daniel said with conviction. Jack looked at Daniel with surprise, not quite sure if he believed that he had heard right. Avoiding the deaths of others just happened to be a high point on Daniel's list. But apparently Daniel hadn't moved over to the dark side yet. His next words eased Jack's mind a little. "Let's try the non-violent way this time, shall we?"

"Yeah," Jack said. He wasn't so sure that this was the right way, but it would be better to try to talk to the natives than to start shooting. "Let me make some phone calls, and then we'll leave." Daniel smiled in relief, while Jack figured he could at least try. "You guys have any idea on what I should say to get the go-ahead from the President? I don't think using the excuse that I'm being forced to marry Carter will go over very well."

"Just tell him they will only talk to our leader," Daniel suggested with a grin.

That guy was enjoying this way too much, Jack decided, as he turned to pick up the phone. Although, now that he thought about it, Daniel's suggestion did sound like a good one…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Samantha Carter was in deep trouble. She sat on a bed in a sparsely furnished room wishing she had never heard of P4C-929, or the native version of her downfall. She glared sullenly at Tairen, the old woman who occupied the only chair in the room, debating whether or not she should just take a chance and knock that witch out, then make her escape. The woman looked up at Sam at that moment and shook her head with an expression that told her she would be crazy to even try it.

"Your man will come soon," Tairen said. "Only then will you be allowed to leave."

"I told you before, he is not my man." Why even bother, Sam wondered. That woman was too stubborn to listen to reason, and God knows Sam tried. Still, she knew the consequences she would face if that old witch got her way, not to mention having to face an angry General O'Neill. That thought had Sam retreating into defense mode, desperately trying to block out the feelings she had for the man. The embarrassment alone will probably kill her.

Tairen had gone back to her sewing, which was fine with Sam. She didn't want to talk to her anyway. She took another look around the room to see if she maybe had missed a possible escape route, all the while ruminating on how she landed in this mess in the first place.

SG-1 had come to this planet with a firm mission in mind. Negotiate with the native inhabitants to secure a steady stream of trinium for Earth's defenses. It was a cut and dried mission, spoiled only by the natives' outdated belief that women were thought of as chattel. Sam grimaced as she stared at the empty wall opposite her bed. The men in the village had immediately taken offense that she was roaming about freely. The fact that she was single and traveling with two single men nearly resulted in them lynching her right then and there. The women in the village came to her rescue, dragging her off to encase her in their protection, or at least that's what it seemed like. Once she was safely settled in, Tairen came and questioned Sam to find a way to save her. She was asked if there was a man in her life, one that she loved above all else. Despite her best efforts to hide the truth from herself, as well as Tairen, an image of Jack O'Neill sprang up in her mind. She immediately quelled that thought, and told Tairen that she was engaged to Pete Shanahan. He was the man she loved, she had said, and she planned to marry him when she got home. But apparently the damage was done. Tairen wouldn't listen to her declarations of love for Pete, and insisted that the only way her people would work with the SGC was if Sam proved her worth and married her true love.

She didn't know how Tairen found out about Jack, as Sam hadn't spoken her initial thoughts out loud, but at this point it didn't matter. That old witch had gone to the elders, telling them about Jack O'Neill, and now Daniel and Teal'c were back at the SGC talking the General into coming to marry Sam. She groaned then, hoping with all her might that the General was in Washington, or off fishing, anything to keep him from finding out her secret.

Embarrassment flowed through her as she thought about his reaction. God, he was going to be pissed. And worse, her career was about to be ended on the whims of a tyrannical society from the dark ages. She glared again at the woman who sat quietly on the other side of the room. Being forced to marry her boss just didn't fit in Sam's schedule of things to do to stay alive.

The old woman in question glanced up at her again, smiling slightly to let Sam know that everything would be all right. Yeah right, Sam thought darkly. She turned to look around again, hoping that this time she'll find a viable escape route. Nothing had changed, nor miraculously appeared to help her out. The room she was in was large, with a fireplace situated in the middle of the wall at the other end of the room, right across from the bed she was sitting on. The bed itself was huge. More than enough room for two people, she thought, as a shiver of fear ran down her spine. She resolutely changed her train of thought and went back to assessing her surroundings, looking for anything she may have missed the first, second or third time around. There were no windows, just four walls and a door. The old woman sat at the table in front of the fireplace, which put a damper on Sam's ideas of grabbing a poker or a knife, anything that she could use as a weapon. She even thought of overpowering the woman, but knew that even if she did get her hands on a weapon, she would still have to fight her way past the guards outside. She was stuck and she knew it.

A commotion outside brought Sam's attention back to her problem. Shouts and greetings rang out through the air as people welcomed newcomers to the village. Sam recognized the words, remembering that she and her team were greeted the same way just the day before. An awful feeling built up in her stomach as she worried that Daniel and Teal'c had been successful in convincing the General to come along with them after all. She clasped her fingers together, desperately trying to calm her fears, as she nibbled on her lower lip.

Maybe the General didn't come. Maybe he had drawn the line and told them where to shove it. Somehow Sam didn't really believe that, but for one brief moment, she allowed herself the luxury of thinking her secret was still safe in her heart. Hidden away from everyone, including a meddlesome old biddy who was packing up to head out the door. Sam fervently hoped she was leaving for good.

The noise outside her hut had quieted down. Tairen walked to the door, but turned to Sam as she reached for the handle. "Your man has come," she said, as she smiled smugly. "You will live to see another day." Sam seriously doubted it as she thought about what a very irate Jack O'Neill would do to her when he got the chance, but Tairen's smile grew broader as she turned the knob and opened the door. "You will be wed by nightfall."

Sam didn't acknowledge the statement. She was terrified now. If for nothing else, than the knowledge that she was about to face the General's anger. Tairen walked out and closed the door, locking it after her. It was like the locking of a cell door and only one thing passed through Sam's mind.

She was in so much trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

The village was set up like a small town, with huts lining both sides of the road. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c walked past the houses and toward a group of people who apparently made up the welcome party, for there were shouts and children running up to greet them.

Daniel nodded and smiled at the kids as he passed by, acknowledging some of them by name, while Teal'c walked silently alongside Jack. Their attitudes were tense, Daniel's usual enthusiasm seemed to be lacking, while Jack was still a little ticked off at what they wanted from him. Still, they greeted the elders with smiles that were entirely forced. Always the diplomat, Jack thought, as he nodded pleasantly to one of the men he was introduced to. He wanted to bash all their heads in, grab Carter and make a run for it. Instead he made nice with the natives as he waited for his chance to tell them all where to shove it.

An old woman came up to them and bowed low to the elders, then stood by quietly. She stared at Jack with an appraising eye, gauging him on his merit, he supposed. Her scrutiny was making him nervous, but he was damned if he'd show it. Anger made him cranky, and it was a chore to keep his displeasure to himself.

One of the elders nodded at her, giving her clearance to speak up, her voice firm and clear. "I am glad that you came, Jack O'Neill. We would have had to kill your woman." She moved to stand in front of him, close enough that a flowery scent wafted through the air, a smell that reminded him of summer days when he was young. She stared into his eyes for a moment, then nodded, apparently satisfied with whatever she saw. "You will finally marry her so that she can live."

"No," Jack told her, wanting to make sure they knew in no uncertain terms that they were dead wrong on that score. "I can't marry Samantha Carter. It would be wrong on our world. Worse than wrong. It would be catastrophic." She gave him a sad smile, her expression telling him that he didn't have a choice. It was going to happen whether he wanted it to or not. Jack didn't care what she thought. "We are going to take Carter and leave." The others were now making noises of dissent, but Jack was ready to end this and get out of there. "We would still like to negotiate a trade with your people, but we will do it without Carter's help and we will do it without a marriage."

"You would dishonor the woman?" one of the elders asked with an indignant scowl. "Our women are our most precious assets and dependent on our protection, yet you would throw away a woman who cherishes you beyond all else?" He looked at Daniel in disbelief and anger, his large eyes bulging as he said, "You said he was a leader of many people, yet he would treat a woman so carelessly?" He shook his head, then said to Jack, "If the woman means so little to you, she must be punished for breaking our laws by traveling alone with your companions."

"No," Jack said with finality. "There will be no killing today, or any other day for that matter. The woman will go back with us alive and well. I will accept no other options."

"Jack," Daniel said with a hint of warning in his voice. But Jack was determined to get out of there alive and unmarried. That was all he needed to make this trip a successful one.

"Daniel," he said, his tone leaving no doubt as to his intentions.

"I just think we need to proceed a little more cautiously." Jack knew that Daniel was right, but it still rankled that he was being roped into a forced marriage.

"You love her," the old woman told him in a matter-of-fact way. Jack bristled at that statement, ready to ream her out, old lady or not. "And she loves you. I have seen this in her eyes."

"Well her eyes are lying," Jack said, his anger growing with every word she spoke. "And besides, we can't get married. It is against our laws." Loud murmurs erupted around him as the others took in that bit of news, but Jack didn't care. He was on a roll. "Not to mention that it should be a matter between Carter and I to discuss whether or not we even like each other." The elders were now glaring at him, causing Jack to push a little harder. "You have no right to try to force us into something we may not even want."

"We have every right," the shortest man yelled, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as he glared angrily at Jack. "We will not trade with infidels, nor will we allow the woman to flaunt her evil ways for the other women to see."

"Fine," Jack growled. "We will leave and take Carter with us. We don't need your trinium that badly anyway."

"Jack," Daniel said again, apparently thinking to butt in on the negotiations. "Maybe we can come up with a solution we can all live with." Jack turned his glare onto Daniel, waiting to hear what his "solution" was. It'd better be a good one, he snarled inwardly.

"You can marry Sam," Daniel said, apparently unaware that he was that close to having his head kicked in. "These people will be happy and willing to negotiate, and we can go home to live happily ever after." He was staring at Jack in a peculiar way, almost as if he was trying to silently tell him something. Jack was too angry to understand what that something was, so Daniel tried again, as he lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "No one on Earth has to know what happened here. It won't be legal, anyway. "

Jack stared at his friend, knowing that the solution could work, but there was the principle behind the whole thing. He hated being forced into anything against his will. He turned to look at the elders, who glared back at him, daring him with their expressions to disagree. The old woman, on the other hand, wore a secret smile, almost as if she knew he would go through with it. He almost said no, just for the hell of it. Instead, he turned his back on the others, then said to Daniel, "You sure we can't just grab Carter and nuke the place?"

Daniel grinned as he shook his head. "That wouldn't look good on your record," he had the grace to say. Jack sighed, then turned to the elders.

"I'd like to talk to Carter. Make sure she is okay with this." He knew he was stalling, especially since it was not okay with him, but the effect was immediate. The old woman smiled broadly at him, while the others nodded in relief.

"Come with me," she said, and Jack had the feeling that he was being led to the gallows. Carter had a lot of explaining to do.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"General O'Neill," Carter said, jumping up to greet him. She wore the same expression she had when she faced Hammond after she had knocked the General out when that bitch, Hathor tried to take over the SGC. She knew she was in trouble, and Jack had to admit that she was right.

"Carter," he said warily. The old woman had followed him into the house, and showed no signs of leaving them alone. He turned to give her a pointed look, but the woman was obviously too ignorant to figure it out. "Uh, can we have a few minutes alone?"

She smiled and nodded, then said, "I will come to get you when the elders are ready to start the ceremony."

Jack nodded vaguely, then went into attack mode. "No. No way. Don't make any arrangements until I say so." The woman just grinned smugly, then walked out the door as Jack shouted after her. "I mean it! I will not be forced into this."

No response, which irritated him to the extreme when the door closed in his face. He heard what sounded like a key turn in a lock, and he grabbed the doorknob, intending to prove to himself that she had not just locked him in the room with Carter. The door wouldn't open. He pounded on the damn thing in frustration. That woman was so going to get hers.

He turned to glare at Carter, who straightened her spine and stared at him, her eyes wide with what looked like fear. Jack hated it when she was afraid of him, but in his present mood, he didn't really care. Instead he shook his head, then shouted, "What the hell did you say to them?"

"Nothing," she said, defense mode in full bloom. "I tried to tell that old hag that I was in love with Pete Shanahan, but she wouldn't listen to a word I said." That statement sent a dagger through Jack's heart, but Carter kept on going. "Somehow she can read minds. I swear," she insisted when Jack gave her a skeptical look. "I… I admit that I may have… Well, she asked me if there was someone that I really cared a lot about, and I…" she stopped, took a deep breath, then said seemingly all in one burst, "And I first thought of you and I really didn't mean to, but even though I told her about Pete, she latched onto your name, and told me that I shouldn't lie to myself about what's truly in my heart and…" She stopped again and simply stared at him, suddenly at a loss for words.

He stared back at her, thinking of how beautiful she really was, while trying to process the words she just threw at him, and wondering at the elation that sprang up in his soul. He can't marry her. He knew this better than anyone. Still, she just admitted her true feelings for him, a feeling he shared no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He shook himself out of the lull, and tried to focus on the problem at hand.

"Why would you think of me?" he asked, despite the fact that this was far from what he really wanted to say. But now that he had asked the question, he couldn't take it back. He wanted the answer more than he could say.

She seemed nervous now, her eyes sliding away to look anywhere but at him. He waited, his heart picking up speed as he realized that she just may admit to something they both tried to hide for years.

"Carter?"

She sighed, then turned to look directly into his eyes. "I don't know. I guess I just…"

Just say it Carter, he thought with a fervor, before reality kicked in.

"Never mind," he told her. Sadness now replaced the exhilaration he felt earlier, wondering why he would even think that she would love someone like him in the first place. "We need to come up with a way out of this."

She nodded, but stayed silent. Jack turned away for a moment, subconsciously looking for a way out. The door was locked, but he figured a good swift kick might break it down. There were no windows, leaving Jack in the dark as to what Daniel and Teal'c were doing. He hoped they were getting ready to kick ass, because he was definitely ready to blow this place.

"General?"

Jack turned back to Carter, his anger growing with every second he was forced to linger. She hadn't moved, a fact that irritated him to no end. She showed no signs of helping him to escape this farce of a situation.

"Carter?" He hadn't meant to snap out the word, but he didn't even try to soften his expression. He was way past pissed by this time.

"I've tried everything," she said quietly. "Even if we do get out of here, we will still have to deal with the guards outside the door." He nodded, knowing she was right. He wondered if Teal'c was standing nearby. Once they got out, Teal'c and Daniel could provide a decent cover until they all got the chance to make a run for the Gate. It was a decent plan, which all depended on getting the freaking door opened.

The sound of the key turning in the door caused Jack to spring into action. He ran over to the door, standing with his back to the wall behind it, ready and willing to brain the next person who entered. He didn't get the chance as at least twenty people filed in through the door. The old woman, with her toothy smile came in, along with the elders who had met them when they first arrived; Daniel, still arguing over the futility of this ceremony; and Teal'c who stood menacingly over the whole lot. Anxiety warred with Jack's rage, but he stubbornly hung on to the anger. It was the only weapon he had left, since they took his gun away from before letting him talk to Carter.

"What is this?" he snarled. "You letting us go?"

"We have tried to make you see reason," Shorty said. "But you refuse to hold the woman's welfare above your own." Jack started to protest that statement, but the elder held up his hand, raising his voice as he added, "We do not wish to kill her, but your refusal leaves us no recourse. Our laws dictate that..."

"I have said that I would marry her," Daniel told them. Red-hot anger coursed through Jack, an emotion he tried to curb. He needed to stay calm if he was going to get through this unscathed.

Shorty, however, beat him to it. "Would you sacrifice yourself for this woman, when the man she loves wants to throw her aside?"

"That's not what I said," Jack butt in. Shorty turned to face him, and Jack let him have it. "And I will not be shamed into this any more than I will allow you to force me into it." Shorty's expression didn't change, nor did the others. They would do as they threatened, Jack realized. He remembered another society where stoning a woman for disobedience extended even to the daughter of the leader. He was beginning to think he didn't have a choice here. Unless a miracle happened along to give SG-1 back their weapons, he was going to have to marry Samantha Carter.

"You don't understand what we face back home if we go through with this," Carter said, finally speaking up.

"Silence!" roared one of the other elders, causing Carter to take a step back. "You were not given permission to speak. We will decide your fate, and you should hope that your man will change his mind. The alternative will not be pleasant."

"She's right you know," Jack said, coming to her defense. "Our laws are different than yours. We will both be punished if we go through with this."

"What kind of society would be so cruel?" Shorty asked with a derisive snort. Jack boggled at the logic coming from a leader of a society that would stone a woman to death just for the hell of it.

"What kind of society would be so cruel as to stone a woman to death for any reason?" he shot back. All the elders bristled at that statement, but the old woman moved to stand next to Shorty. He looked over at her, and she bowed her head.

"Speak," he said.

"Their souls are entwined. I have seen this." One of the elders bowed his head slightly, as if in agreement to the statement, while Jack was thinking that the old woman must have gone off the deep end. "Let us proceed with the ceremony so that they may find this out for themselves."

"It'll be all right, Jack," Daniel said, his voice laced with a hidden meaning that Jack heard loud and clear. Marry Carter, then get the hell out of Dodge. He nodded reluctantly, then watched as the old woman grinned in delight.

"You will see," she said happily. "The ceremony and the wedding night will convince you that you no longer need to deny your heart."

"Wedding night?" Jack asked, panic setting in. Nobody said anything about a wedding night. He looked over at Carter, to see that she was feeling the same panic that pushed him to want to take his chances and run before the marriage took place.

"Calm down, Jack," Daniel said. He came over to stand next to him, but Jack was already thinking of possible ways out. "It'll all work out." Daniel was giving him a pointed look, silently reminding him of their earlier discussions on how to avoid persecution from the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Jack nodded, willing his heart to stop its frantic pounding. Consummating the relationship would be the same as the proverbial nail in the coffin, but if he played his cards right, he'd be home by morning and no one the wiser. And he'd be sure to block this planet for future visits, treaty or no treaty.

The old woman went to the door and opened it to allow a few other women to enter. They came in with two goblets and a flask that carried something liquid in it. Jack eyed the flask warily, deciding at that point to avoid whatever it was at all cost. The women left, dragging Daniel along with them. One of them tried to convince Teal'c to leave as well, but Teal'c glared at her with such a fierce scowl, the woman screeched and ran out the door.

"You will leave with your friend," Shorty told him, his stance daring Teal'c to defy him. Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the man, and Jack couldn't hide the grin that came up at the thought of Teal'c pounding Shorty into the floor with his fist. He nodded at Teal'c to indicate that he should just go, and Teal'c bowed his head before leaving Jack to the tender mercies of the elders and the old woman.

This is it, he thought, as he turned to look at Carter. She shrugged helplessly, and he gave her an encouraging smile. This was never going to happen again. They might as well make the best of it.


	3. Chapter 3

The ceremony went fairly quickly, but Sam knew that this whole affair was far from over. The elders insisted that they spend their wedding night in the house they were married in, and she was in the same state of panic she felt earlier when they brought it up the first time around. She hadn't expected this, although to be honest, it had crossed her mind.

The General was prowling around the room, making yet another assessment of their predicament. He wanted out of this. It was clear as day, and she tried to hide the pain that knifed through her heart as she watched him do everything he could to avoid her. Despite her denials to the contrary, she had some deep feelings for the man, and his anger felt like a betrayal of sorts.

"General O'Neill, I'm sorry." He nodded, but he wouldn't look at her. He walked over to the door, trying to open it one more time, then banged on it in frustration when it didn't budge.

"Damn it," he snarled. "They have no right to do this!"

Sam agreed wholeheartedly with this statement, but seeing as it was already a done deal, she figured they should just make the best of it. Convincing the General of this, however, was going to take a lot more, including patience on her part.

"Sir, there is no way out." He turned to glare at her, but she continued, hoping to make him see that they could get through this without damaging anybody's reputation. At least she hoped so. "All we need to do is spend the night here and we can leave in the morning."

"That's what Daniel said," the General told her, as he turned to finally face her. "I just hate that I have no control over any of this." Sam nodded in response. This was not news to her. They stood and stared at each other for a few minutes, Sam wondering what they should do next. O'Neill broke eye contact, then went to inspect the door one more time.

"There has to be a way out of here," he said, as he walked over to the fireplace and tried to pry off a few of the bricks. Nothing budged, which didn't surprise Sam, but she got up to see if she could help. She stopped after a few tries and turned toward O'Neill, who had stooped down to try to see up the chimney. His attempts weren't too successful, considering the smoldering fire burning in the cavity of the fireplace.

"They knew what they were doing when they put us in this place," Sam said, wiping her brow with her arm. Being so close to the fire had her sweating, and she moved over to the table to sit down. "The only way out is through the door."

He nodded reluctantly. "So what now?"

Sam shook her head to say she didn't have a clue, then swayed slightly as a dizzy spell swept through her. That was weird, she thought, as she concentrated on focusing on her commanding officer. He was looking at her with a worried expression, but she smiled slightly to tell him everything was all right.

"I think we're just going to have to stay the night," she told him.

"We take the bed in shifts," he said, as he nodded in agreement. "You can go first, since you look like you are going to fall over any minute."

"I'm fine," she insisted, even though she was starting to think otherwise. "It's just so hot in here." She stood up to prove that she was okay, but had to grab onto the table to steady herself.

"Wow! That was weird."

"You sure you're okay, Carter?" O'Neill was looking at her strangely, but Sam had gotten over whatever possessed her, and nodded once again.

"Yes. I'm fine now. Just got a little dizzy for a moment there." He was still staring at her with concern, but Sam went over to the bed to sit on it, intending to let him take the first watch, as he suggested. The dizziness was gone, which was a good thing. It wouldn't do for her to get sick on her wedding night.

She giggled at that thought, then swung her feet up on the bed as she lay down. The bed was quite comfortable, even the pillows were nice and squishy. It was still warm in the room, so she didn't bother getting under the covers. She turned on her side and was able to see the General when he sat down on the chair at the table, his back to her as he faced the fire. He turned to the side to look at the door, probably thinking about escape again, but Sam could only stare at his profile. He really was quite handsome, and she once again felt a little tug on her heart, a feeling she tried desperately to squash. It wouldn't do to love him, especially since he was trying so hard to avoid her and this sham of a marriage.

The room was getting hotter, to the point where Sam thought about stripping off some of her clothing to cool off. But she knew that she couldn't. Not with her commanding officer in the same room. She turned on her back, to avoid looking at the man as stirrings of lust raced through her. This was so unlike her that she was seriously getting worried.

She looked back at the object of her current desire, to see that he was sitting at the table rapping on it with his fingertips. He was bored, as they both knew there wasn't a whole lot to worry about in this place. The chances of someone sneaking in on them were slim to none.

She couldn't stand it. She sat up and took off her BDU shirt, leaving on her t-shirt. She sneaked a peak at the General, who was busy rummaging through his pockets, and she was not the least bit surprised when he pulled out a yo-yo. He turned sideways on his chair to face her, then looked at her with surprise when he caught her staring at him.

"It's warm in here," she told him defensively. He arched an eyebrow at her, then turned his attention to the task of fitting the string around his finger. God, he was gorgeous. Sam couldn't help it; she stared at him, wondering what it would be like to make love to him. Her cheeks flamed brightly at that thought, and just her luck, O'Neill chose that moment to look up at her.

He was on his feet immediately, rushing over to her side, and sitting down next to her.

"You okay, Carter?"

"Yes sir," she said, making every effort to calm down. "It's just..." She stared at him, noting that even his lips were beautiful. She shook away at that thought, then said, "It's just so warm in here."

He didn't seem to be buying her excuses. He reached over and put the back of his hand to her forehead, testing for a fever, while Sam just wanted to grab him and pull him down on the bed with her. She fought the impulse, breathing hard at the effort. It wouldn't do to give in like this.

"You drank that stuff during the ceremony, didn't you?" the General accused. She stared at him in confusion, but his anger was rising.

"I wouldn't put it past those jerks to try to drug us both," he said, as he got up and started pacing. "You did, didn't you?" Sam found herself nodding, but he wasn't paying too much attention to her. "What were you thinking? As many times as we were drugged throughout our travels..." He stopped and shook his head, then taking a deep breath before asking, "How much of that stuff did you drink?"

"I only took a sip," she said, worried now that he was right. She did feel funny, although the wooziness had gone away. She sat up to prove to herself that she was okay and was pleased to find no sign of dizziness. "I didn't think it would have been wise to defy those elders. They don't seem to like me too much."

"You could have just pretended to drink it," O'Neill said. "I did." His anger seemed to be melting away, so Sam relaxed a little.

"It was just a sip," she told him again. But she knew now that a sip was all that it took. "What do you think was in that stuff?"

"I don't know. Is there anything else besides the fever?"

"No," she lied. But her body was intent on defying her. Desire was racing through her, leaving her hot and ready. She got up off the bed to move closer to him, standing as close as possible, fighting off the urge to grab him and kiss him. He took a step back, eying her warily, while Sam decided to just tell him her fears.

"I think it might have been an aphrodisiac."

He reacted as if he had been slapped. He pulled back suddenly, then moved away from her, walking over to the fireplace to put the table between them. Extreme disappointment raced through her, but she knew he was right. They couldn't do anything that would compromise their positions as Air Force officers. Still, she couldn't fight the desire burning inside her.

"General O'Neill, please," she said as she took a few steps toward him.

"Ah-ah-ah," he said, waving a finger in the air as he moved farther along the table. "I will not let those freaking elders win."

"This is not about them winning," she said, walking over to the table. "This is about us. About trust." He shook his head, determined not to fall for anything she said, but Sam couldn't let it go without at least trying. She was not strong enough to fight the urges that continued to build up in her body. "Please help me."

"No."

Tears misted her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She nodded bravely, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly as she stiffened her spine. She could do this. She went to sit down on the bed, determined to be strong, despite her body's refusal to cool down. She lay down on the bed, hoping that maybe she could just go to sleep, but she ended up tossing and turning, unable to relax.

"It's better this way, Carter. You know that, don't you?"

She didn't respond. Instead she stared up at the ceiling, trying to think of anything other than Jack O'Neill. But he was sitting over there on the chair, his fingers restlessly drumming on the tabletop. She glanced over to see that he had picked up the yo-yo, and she knew she was going to lose the battle. She loved him. She wanted him and she didn't know how she was going to survive the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack didn't do so well with the yo-yo, although he tried to concentrate on catching it at least twice in a row. His thoughts kept going to Carter, wishing he could give in to her pleas. It would be so easy to take advantage of her. She wouldn't even fight him. But he knew that they both would hate themselves in the morning, especially since she didn't really want to do this. He knew better than anyone how hard it was to fight off the drugs once they were in the system.

Still, he had almost given in when she had begged him so pitifully. God, how he wanted to help her. He shook off the feelings of helplessness, and went back to his yo-yo, trying hard not to hear Carter tossing and turning.

He gave up after a few minutes, then got up to turn down the lamps, hoping that darkness would help her to fall asleep. He then went over to throw more wood on the fire, figuring it would be a long night. The fire sparked and the flames danced higher as he stooped down and prodded the extra wood to ignite. The flames lit up the hearth, warm and cozy, and Jack found himself staring at them with a rapt fascination, only to stiffen up when he felt Carter's hand on his shoulder.

Anger welled up, but he tried to hide it as he stood up to face her. She was standing close, too close, but Jack stood still, waiting for her to make the first move.

"Please," she whispered, as she slid her arms around his neck. She moved in for a kiss, but Jack held her off. She was so beautiful, standing there with the firelight illuminating her hair and her features. He stared into her eyes, begging her to understand as he reached up and grabbed her wrists. He pulled them down, then pushed away from her, already hating himself for not doing what she wanted him to do. His own body was reacting to her desires, but he kept thinking that this wasn't really what she wanted. She wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for that stuff she drank, and he'd be taking advantage of her if he slept with her while she was drugged. It would be a different story if she were herself.

She stared at him with anger, the firelight making her tears sparkle as they slipped down her cheeks. "Fine," she said angrily. She glared at him a moment longer, then went off to the bed and lay down on it. Jack waited, no longer willing to turn his back on her, but she showed no signs of getting up again. He went back to playing with the yo-yo, trying not to listen as she tossed and turned. It was even harder to ignore when several long minutes later he heard her giving in to her desires, as her muffled moans filled the air.

He was finally able to relax when Carter's breathing eased into a steady rhythm. She had gone to sleep and he found himself staring at the table for a long time, wondering how long it would be before morning. He couldn't wait to get out of this place; the sooner the better.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sunlight streamed through the crack under the door, which was almost like a beacon for Jack. He had just woken up, having finally given up and gone to sleep on the floor. The sunshine was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes.

He threw back the blanket he had stolen from the bed, along with the extra pillow, and stretched his limbs before putting them into action to stand up. Carter seemed to still be sleeping, and Jack didn't have the heart to wake her, so he went over to the door to test the lock.

It held fast. "Figures," he grumbled angrily. He pounded on the door, hoping that someone was outside, but nothing happened.

He was busy glowering at the barrier to his freedom, when he heard some grumbling coming from the bed. He went over to turn the lamp up, then turned to see Carter sitting up in the middle of the bed, her hair tussled and looking so fetching that he had to grin. She ran her fingers through her hair, then looked up at him, her expression guarded, almost as if she was angry.

"Rise and shine, Carter," he told her with a clap of his hands. "Come on. It's past time we left this place." His enthusiasm didn't seem to go far, and his smile dimmed as he stared at the woman in the bed.

"Yes sir," she said in a grumpy tone, as she got up and grabbed her shirt. Jack got the distinct feeling that she was avoiding him. She wouldn't look his way, nor did she initiate any conversation.

"Everything all right there, Carter?"

"Yes sir," she said, as she concentrated on fastening the buttons on her shirt. Jack had a good idea what was bothering her, considering what had happened last night, but he wasn't sure how to approach the subject. In fact, he was thinking it would be better if they never spoke about what happened ever again.

He didn't get the chance to say anything about it, because he heard the key in the door. He raced over to make sure they didn't change their mind. Shorty and the other elders walked in, followed by the old woman. Jack was a little worried to see that Daniel and Teal'c were not among the group invading the house he and Carter had shared through the night.

"You letting us go?" Jack asked, not even interested in the pleasantries. He wanted out of this hellhole, and he wanted out now. The old woman came up to him, looking into his eyes, but Jack refused to give her anything. She shook her head and went over to Carter, who actually backed away from her. The old woman didn't follow her. Instead she went back to stand next to Shorty. Jack could see that she was disappointed, but he was more interested in leaving.

"You said we could leave," he reminded the elders.

"Tairen," Shorty said, obviously ignoring Jack. "What say you? Do we have to stone the woman anyway?" The old woman kept he head bowed, but Jack saw her peek up at him quickly before lowering her gaze again.

"I do not wish to see the woman stoned," she said quietly. Jack held his breath, wondering what she was planning to say. He tensed up, balling his fists in anticipation of fighting his way out, all the while wondering where Daniel and Teal'c were. One way or the other, he and his team were leaving the planet that very morning.

"We do not have a choice," the obnoxious elder from the day before said. "She is not properly married, and this man does not want to be her husband."

"That's not true," Jack said, panic welling up as he realized the elders and the old woman knew they hadn't consummated their marriage. "I want to be her husband. I just don't want to be forced into it." His arguments were falling on deaf ears though, as the elders went on with their plans to kill Carter.

"We will start the stoning ceremony before midday," Shorty was telling the others. "The women should begin preparing for the burial." Some of the others nodded, while Jack figured he'd better weigh in on the subject.

"You'll be dead before the first stone is cast," he snarled at Shorty, who turned on him in full rage.

"You dare threaten me," he said with an indignant scowl. "It is you who will not save her from this." That was so far from the truth that Jack was ready to kill him on the spot, just for the hell of it. "You had the opportunity to save her, yet you refused. Her death will be on your head."

"Her death will be on the heads of those who throw the stones," Jack countered, no longer caring about diplomacy. "And her death will be avenged. Make no mistake about that. If I don't succeed, there are at least 60 other people who will do everything in their power to do it for me."

"Your threats mean nothing to us," Shorty told him with a sneer. He turned to the others and said, "Take the woman and start the preparations for the ceremony."

"No," Jack shouted, while two of the men went for Carter. She put her hands up in front of her face, her stance ready and willing to beat the crap out of anybody who came near. Jack rushed at the men, but didn't make it. A blinding pain in his head registered just before everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack woke up to semi-darkness, wondering for a moment what had happened. A vision of Carter standing with balled up fists waiting to take on the bad guys brought back a feeling of terror that had him sitting straight up in bed. At least he tried to sit up. An intense throbbing in his head had him lying back down and closing his eyes tightly to try to control the pain. He brought his hands up to press against his temples, but something else had caught his attention - a rattling sound, almost like chains, and a heavy weight around his left wrist.

No, he thought, as tried to control the panic that was racing through him. The bastards chained him up and he had no idea what had happened to Carter. He rose up to find out exactly what his situation was and to hopefully figure a way out of it. Grateful that his vision was adjusting to the gloom, he used his right hand to grab the chain attached to his left wrist and he twisted his body in order to follow the chain up to the wall at the head of the bed. The chain was imbedded in the wall, and looked like it was attached to another that led down to enclose a slender wrist.

Holy crap, he thought, as anger moved in to replace the panic. He and Carter were both chained to a bed, and now that he was lucid, noticed that they were both naked from the waist up. Further exploration proved that his initial fears were realized in that he was completely naked. He looked down at Carter, prudently deciding not to pursue his interests in finding out if she was in the same situation. He eased down on his back and stared up into the darkness, wondering at the cruelty of some people. Jack just knew he was not going to survive this torture.

He lay there for a long time, checking out the manacle around his wrist and trying to figure out where he and Carter were, as well as the best possible way to escape from this crap. From what he could tell, they were in the same room they had been married in. The lamp on the wall by the door was turned down low, but he could see glowing embers in the fireplace, which painted the table in front of it and the walls with an amber sheen. And if he pushed up on his elbows, he could barely see daylight shining in under the door. He lay back down, wondering how he could not have noticed the chains the whole time he was imprisoned in that place.

Carter mumbled something, and he turned to see if she was awake. She wasn’t but he continued to stare at her, enjoying the view. She was even more gorgeous in the shadows painted by the lamplight, he realized. He shifted until he was on his side and watched her as she slept. She was peacefully unaware that she was about to wake up to find herself naked and in bed with her commanding officer.

That thought brought a grin to his face. He resisted the urge to reach over and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, watching her instead, as her chest rose and fell with her breathing. The blanket was placed modestly over her breasts, which now that he thought about it, was detrimental to his thinking clearly. He shook his head to clear it, then pulled himself together and decided to try and dislodge the chain from the wall.

Yanking and pulling on it didn't do anything, which really didn't surprise him at all. Thoughts of getting up on his knees to get better leverage were interrupted by Carter, as she sighed deeply and stretched. The chain around her right wrist rattled ominously, causing her to turn to look at it. This move brought her gaze to land on Jack, who couldn't help but grin when her look of concern turned into surprise.

"Morning Carter."

"Sir?" she said, struggling to sit up, stopping only to suddenly clutch at her head, and lay back down. "Ow," she moaned softly.

"Mine's quieted down to a dull throb," he said, smirking at her when she grimaced.

"Nice to know," she muttered grumpily. She brought her hands down and turned her head to look at him. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me."

She raised her arm to rattle the chain, then dropped it on the bed, as she turned to look back up at the ceiling. "The last thing I remember, I was trying to fight off those goons." She brought her left hand up to rub at her temple. "They must have hit me in the head with something."

"Hurt much?"

She nodded, before gingerly raising up to survey the situation. Jack watched her as she mimicked his earlier movements. They were chained together in a bed, the manacles wrapped around his left wrist and her right, and Jack tried hard not to look as the blanket slipped a little. She grabbed at the blanket, glaring at him as if it were his fault, then laid back down and brought her wrist up to look for a way to open the manacles.

"Good luck with that," he said, pointing to the metal wrapped around her wrist. "I couldn't even find a keyhole in mine."

She ignored him, but he could see that her frustrations were growing. She searched every inch of the manacle, before finally giving up and saying, "Damn this alien technology crap!"

This was so unlike her, that Jack worried she may still have some of that stuff she drank the day before in her system. He looked over at her, surprised and suspicious, wondering if he was going to have to deal with a drugged up female.

"I'm fine," she said, obviously aware of his thoughts. "I just wish technology like this would have become easier to figure out by now."

"You'll have this figured out in no time." It never hurt to encourage her, even when he had his doubts. "I'm sure you'll have it all squared away soon enough."

"Yes sir." It was clear that she had her own doubts. But silence followed her statement, and as usual, Jack had no idea what to say to her. They were in bed, naked and chained together, and the only things that came to mind would be grounds for a sexual harassment suit if they were any other situation.

"You know what this is, don't you?" he finally asked.

"Yeah. For some reason they are determined that we consummate the marriage."

More silence, which was soothing to Jack's unease. He didn't like to talk any more than he had to. Trying to come up with words to cover the silence was never an easy task for him. Instead he turned to thoughts of escape. Maybe if they both pulled on the chain, they could break the connection to the wall. It was certainly worth a try.

He sat up, arranging the blankets so that his lower half was decently covered, then twisted his left hand around the chain to give him some leverage. "Help me out here, Carter. If we both pull, we may be able to break out of this joint." Using his right hand, he grabbed the chain so that he would be using both arms and all of his weight to pull. He glanced over at his companion, to see that she was still trying to arrange the blanket to hide as much from him as she could. She finally settled on sitting with her knees pulled up to hold the blanket in place, while she grabbed the chains with both hands and pulled.

Their efforts were in vain. No matter how hard they pulled, the chain didn't budge. They didn't even make a dent in the wall. Carter finally gave up with a huff, sitting back as she rubbed the skin under the manacle. Jack gave the chain one more try, then gave up himself, aggravated beyond belief that the elders had thought of everything.

"I can't believe those people did this to us," Carter said angrily.

Jack agreed with her, but he still had to say, "At least you're still alive." He turned so that his back was to the wall and facing her, while Carter muttered something under her breath.

"Hey," he said, trying to keep things light. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she snapped, then tacking on "Sir," as an afterthought.

"Well excuse me for worrying," he said sarcastically. Carter didn't respond or look at him. She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared moodily at the wall. Jack shook his head as he leaned back, wondering what her problem was. He was in the same situation she was in. A thought came to him, and he immediately shook it off. Surely she didn't blame him for this.

"This isn't my fault," he said anyway. She turned to look at him, but a noise outside the door had them both scrambling to make sure they were decently covered. Carter had switched places and was now sitting next to him with her back to the wall, and both were covered by the time the door actually opened. Two people entered, and although he couldn't make out the faces due to the light shining in behind them, he could tell by the profile that one of them was the old woman, Tairen.

"You have no right to do this," he snarled at her, ready and willing to strangle her on the spot. She didn't respond, but did go over and turn up the lamp, which brightened the room considerably, then went over to tend to the fire. Jack saw that a young woman had followed Tairen in, and was now placing a tray of food on the small table next to the bed on Carter's side.

"You might as well kill me now," Carter said, surprising Jack. "He won't give in you know, no matter what happens."

"He must," Tairen told her. "There is no other way." Jack had a different opinion on that score, and apparently so did Carter.

"Yes there is," she said. "You let us go home and you all will never have to deal with us again." Tairen shook her head sadly, but Carter was insistent. "The General and I got married, as per your laws, now you are obligated to let us go."

"It is not up to me," Tairen said with a sad smile. "I do not have the authority, nor am I able to go against the elders."

"Talk to them, Tairen. Please! Can't you see that this is wrong?" But Tairen shook her head again at Carter's pleas, then turned to look at them with determination.

"You both must become one in order to find your peace. Only then can we let you go."

Jack was enraged by the woman's stubborn attitude toward his predicament. He just wanted out of this whole mess. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demanded, relying on years of training in order to stay calm during this madness. "I won't find peace until I am well away from this place." She smiled at him, then turned to go, pulling the young woman along with her. It was apparent that his words had no meaning to her.

Carter sat up straight at that point, her free arm stretching toward Tairen as she said, "No. Please Tairen. Don't do this." But her pleas fell on deaf ears as the door closed softly behind the old woman. Jack closed his eyes in frustration when he heard the key turn in the lock.

"Well, at least we have light," he said to the room at large.

"Ever the optimist." Carter was still pissed, he realized. He wished he knew what she was mad about, but his experience with women had taught him to tread carefully when dealing with an angry one, especially when in bed.

"You want to tell me what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong. Well, besides being chained to a bed with my boss." She pulled on the chain to emphasize her point, and Jack shrugged helplessly. She definitely had a point. Still, they were going to be chained together for awhile. He figured it would be best if they spent the remaining hours in a halfway decent mood.

"I see they brought us some food," he said, hoping to take her mind off of her funk. "Do you think they spiked it?"

"I wouldn't put it past them." She didn't elaborate, and Jack was all for giving up.

"Okay then." This was going great, he thought sarcastically. They sat in silence, something that Jack was getting very used to. He leaned his head back, and tried to come up with some solutions to their problem. If nothing else, he needed to relieve himself. He rose up at that point, intent on looking to see if those idiots out there had thought of that particular problem too.

They had, judging by the little pot set up next to the bed on his side.

"What are you doing?" Carter asked, causing Jack to pull himself up from his position of nearly hanging upside down as he leaned down to the floor to see if there was anything else he could use. A nice P-90 would come in very handy right about now.

"Looking for weapons," he said in a voice that was deliberately lowered to produce a menacing tone. He narrowed his eyes at her, before glancing over at the door and back again. "There may be a mouse trap or something down there." She grinned reluctantly, which pleased Jack to no end. A happy Sam Carter was much better than a grumpy one.

"What?" he said innocently when she shook her head and turned slightly away to hide her smile.

The smile didn't last long. She sobered up and looked over at him. "We're stuck here, aren't we?'

Jack wanted to deny it, to lighten the mood again, but try as he might, he couldn't come up with anything. "Looks like it."

She sighed heavily and turned to stare off into space. She looked so lost, her blank expression making it hard to see her thoughts. He wished he could tell what she was thinking.

"Penny for your thoughts."

She looked over at him, but shook her head with a sad smile. "I'm sorry that I got you into this mess. I honestly didn't think it would go this far."

"Forget about it, Carter. It's not like this is the first time this stuff happened to us."

She turned to look at him full in the face, clearly astonished. "This has definitely never happened to us before." She was so amazed that he would say something so off-the-wall, that it was Jack's turn to try to keep his expression serious.

"Well, you know how it is," he told her. She shook her head in amazement, before turning back to face the room again.

"So what do we do now?" she asked in all seriousness.

"We wait it out, I guess." He thought about it for a moment, then said, "And maybe work out the best way to kill Shorty and his goons."

"Shorty?"

"The short guy. The elder with the bulging eyes."

"Oh yeah." She looked down at her hands, then began inspecting the manacle around her wrist. "There isn't anywhere for a key to fit in this thing." She tilted her head as she lifted her wrist higher so that she could see beneath it, then said, "I wonder how these things work?"

The answer seemed pretty obvious to Jack. "Magnets," he said with confidence.

Carter laughed at that, her manner relaxed. "Maybe," she said as she rubbed her finger across the metal. He could see that she was engrossed in figuring out how the manacles worked, and he took the opportunity to think of a way to take care of business.

"Ah Carter?"

"Hmmm?" She was now running a fingernail along the edge of the manacle, totally lost in thought. This was good. He liked it when she was thinking about whatever predicament they found themselves in. She was good at what she did and Jack usually left her to her thoughts.

"I gotta take a leak." She nodded, her fingers now picking at the chain where it was attached to the manacle. He shook his head, then said, "Unless you want an eyeful, I suggest that you don't look."

She looked at him anyway, a confused expression on her face. He pointed to the side of the bed, then reaching down to pick up the pot that was on the floor to show her. "I have to pee."

"Oh," she said. "I had been wondering about that. Can I… um…" She pointed at the pot. "When you are done with it, of course."

He gave her a meaningful look and she blushed, before turning her attention back to the manacles. "Magnets may be the answer, sir," she said, apparently deciding to talk her way past her embarrassment. "But I can't be sure. I can't even find the opening. She twisted her wrist so that she could look at the underside. "It's almost like a solid ring, but how they got it on is a mystery to me."

The manacle around Jack's wrist bit into his skin as he stood up to take aim. He glanced over at Carter, but she was still involved in her study of the technology that was wrapped around her wrist. The air was chilly as he took care of business, and it was nice to slip back under the covers when he was done.

"Your turn," he said when he got comfortable. She glanced at him, looked toward the empty space next to his side of the bed, then up to the point where the chain was embedded in the wall. Her expression was guarded when she looked back at him. She was going to have to climb over him in order to get to that pot. Jack tried to hide the smirk that showed up, while he held up both hands and said, "I won't touch you, I swear."

The guarded look turned into a glare, and she turned her back on him to look over the edge of the bed on her side. He heard her let out a breath of relief, and he cursed his bad luck. He had been looking forward to seeing how she was going to get past him without touching him.

"I'm taking the blanket with me," she warned, just before she tugged on it, hard enough to leave him in the cold. Ah well, he thought, as he put both hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall. It was better this way.


	5. Chapter 5

The General was lying on his back, with no regard to the fact that he was stark naked. Sam resolutely looked away, refusing to look at him as she plopped back down on the bed and threw his share of the covers over toward him. He was enjoying her embarrassment, which fueled her ire even more.

His, "I won't touch you," remark had ticked her off again, as she remembered the night before. And now he was acting like a typical male, all macho and not the least bit ashamed. She pulled the blanket up a little tighter over her breasts as she sat next to O'Neill, wondering just what the heck she was going to do now.

"How long do you think they will keep us here?" she finally asked.

"Dunno," O'Neill responded. At least he was covered up again, she thought with a good deal of relief. It was too hard to think straight when he wasn't.

They sat there for a few moments, building up to an uncomfortable silence. Sam found herself staring out to the room at large, wishing she had never heard of this place. Her stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly, but there was no way she was going to touch any of the food or drink sitting on the table next to her. She was not about to go through another night like the night before.

"Hungry, Carter?"

The man was definitely getting on her nerves. He was taking this all in stride, while Sam wanted to scream with frustration. This was so typical of him, she thought angrily. They weren't in any real danger, so he was going to just sit back and take it one minute at a time.

"They're going to kill me you know," she said out of spite.

"No they won't."

"Yes they will." He was frowning at her, but Sam wanted to make sure they both understood the situation. "Forgive me for being blunt sir, but either we have sex or they'll kill me."

He turned toward her, his expression fierce as he said, "You are not going to die. Not here. Not over this."

His confidence was working on her. She was so hoping that this meant he had a plan. "How can you be so sure?"

"I just am."

"Well, that makes me feel so much better," she said sarcastically, only to remember whom she was talking to. "Sir."

"You know, Carter. Considering the fact that we're chained to a bed in nothing but our birthday suits, I think it would be okay if you dropped the military mind-set and the attitude."

"Yes sir," she said stiffly.

He sighed, but didn't say anything else. Sam knew that she was being unreasonable, but she had to harden her heart against the man sitting next to her. She cared so deeply for him, yet he made it perfectly clear that he didn't want anything to do with her, especially in marriage. He didn't care as much for her as she did for him, and that knowledge hurt her deeply.

The memory of begging him for help last night flashed through her mind as she thought about how much she cared for him and needed him. He had pushed her away, leaving her in a desperate way, but even though she knew why he wouldn't give in to her desires, she still hated him at that moment. And she held on to that anger. She needed it to help her keep her distance from the man sitting next to her. He was her commanding officer, and she knew as well as he did what it would mean if they went through with the consummation of this sham of a marriage. Their careers were important to Sam.

Still, she wanted out of the chains as badly as he did. All they had to do was make love and they were out of there. Sam shook her head as she realized what she had to do. So much for keeping her distance.

"There is a solution to our problem," she said. She wasn't sure how he would take her suggestion, but Sam figured she should at least give it a try, despite the personal heartache she faced if he agreed. He turned toward her, a look of interest on his face. Sam stared back at him, actively trying to find the courage to finish her thought. He didn't want her in that way. His actions had already proven that to her. She took a deep breath and forged on anyway. "We could go through with this, and then keep it to ourselves when we get back to Earth."

He didn't respond. He just stared at her and Sam immediately went on the defensive. "It was just a suggestion," she said, as pain ripped through her again. "I just thought…"

He was still staring at her, but Sam couldn't face him anymore. She looked away, while traitorous tears welled up in her eyes. It had been worth a try, she thought, hoping to chase away the hurt. But the pain swelled up anyway, and Sam did what she always did when things were too overwhelming to deal with. She turned her mind to work, or in this case, the chains and how to get out of the situation they were in.

"I have no idea how to break open the manacles," she said, hating the tremble that she heard in her voice. She cleared her throat, then went on, "They're completely solid all the way around, which defies every law in the universe."

"Carter."

"Maybe we can find something to help us break the chain," she said, ignoring the interruption. She didn't want to hear his thoughts. "An axe would be nice."

"Carter," O'Neill said again a little louder, but Sam refused to let him in.

"But since we don't have one, we're going to have to make do with whatever we can find." She looked at the manacle encasing her wrist again, wondering how it had even been put on, but was distracted when the General spoke up.

"Sam."

She turned toward him, surprised he would use her first name. But now that he had her attention, he seemed to be at a loss for words. He reached over to wipe away the tear that ran down her cheek, smiling softly as he did so.

"Come here," he said. She wanted to. She really did, but considering her state of undress, she didn't think it was such a good idea. But he was insistent. "Come on."

She pulled the blanket around her chest a little tighter, then scooted over until she was sitting close enough to where she could lean her head on his shoulder. He shifted slightly so that he could put his arm around her shoulders, but was hampered a little by the chain. They finally got situated, and Sam felt a little better when he hugged her tight. She couldn't have him, but times like these sometimes made up for her loss.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, Sam soaking up the warmth, until the General spoke up.

"Why did you immediately think of me when that old woman asked you who you cared about?"

Oh great, Sam thought, as panic moved in. How could she explain to him about her feelings, when he had made it clear he didn't feel the same? She tried to pull away, to put distance between them, but he wouldn't let her.

'We're in for the long haul," he told her. "We might as well take advantage of this time alone and talk." She twisted around to look him in the face, to see if he was serious. She couldn't ever remember a time when he wanted to "talk".

"It goes both ways, sir," she said as she stared into his eyes. He nodded reluctantly, which pleased Sam. Maybe she was going to finally witness a miracle and hear him talk about himself. She grinned at that thought, intending to get everything she could out of him while he was willing.

"Well?" He was getting impatient, but Sam was still a little hesitant. She really didn’t want to expose her heart to him only to have him reject her once again.

She snuggled closer to stall for time, then finally said, "Sir, I'd rather not talk about it, okay?"

He used his free hand to turn her face toward him, causing her heart to pick up the beat. He was so handsome. Warm brown eyes and the stubble that lined his jaw made him almost irresistible. She stared back at him, wondering what he was thinking.

His eyes dropped to her lips, causing Sam's pulse to quicken. It seemed natural when he kissed her, almost as if this was a regular everyday thing. She kissed him back, loving the feel of his tongue as it snaked across her lips.

Loud voices filtered in through the walls, causing them to break the kiss. She listened to see if she could hear what was going on, and smiled slightly when she distinctly heard Daniel yelling at someone as they passed by the house.

"Give 'em hell Daniel," the General said with a grin. Sam had to agree with that assessment, but O'Neill also had other ideas. He pulled her back in for another kiss, and she went willingly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Daniel was yelling at somebody outside the house, his voice becoming fainter as he moved away. Jack didn't pay too much attention to the words, other than to register that his friend was still trying to talk the elders into letting them go. Still, Jack had other things on his mind, and kissing Carter was way up there at the top. He liked the way she kissed.

He pulled back after a few minutes to look into her eyes. He was more than willing to follow through on giving in, but he wanted to make sure she wanted this as much as he did. Despite the claims of that old biddy out there, Jack still hadn't heard anything to the contrary from the woman in his arms.

"No one back on Earth has to know," he said. She nodded, her eyes reflecting a sadness that tore right through him. "Hey, come on. It'll be fun."

"Yes sir."

"Jack."

He had caught her by surprise, but now that they were on the verge of something a little more intimate, he didn't want the reminders of back home to interfere. Besides, he wanted to hear her say his name.

She gave him a small smile, then said, "Jack."

He waited, but she didn't say anything else, so he decided to take the bull by the horns. "Do you want this, Sam?" She seemed worried about something, so Jack hurried to clarify. "We're going to have to make love in this bed before they release us." He reached over to rub the pad of his thumb over her cheek, marveling over the softness, yet not wanting to get distracted. "Any objections?"

"Objections?" She huffed a bit, then turned to face the room at large. "I can't believe this." Jack waited, wondering what the heck he said to make her mad this time. But his thoughts changed when she turned back to face him, an amazed look on her face.

"I am the reason you are in this bed in the first place," she said with a tinge of exasperation. "I practically jumped you last night, which by the way, proved to me what your thoughts were on this subject." She stopped for a second to glare at him, then went on, effectively putting a stop to his objections. "I know better than to think that you care about me in that way, but I was hoping you would at least help me out." She took a deep breath, letting it out in a huge sigh, then said, "You were the first person I thought of when asked who I was... who I cared about. So no. I have no objections."

There were those tears glittering in her eyes again. She was so cute when she was mad. But now that she had admitted this much, he was hoping to hear more.

"Why?'

"Why what?"

"Why would you think of me?" He shook his head in amazement. "I mean, I'm not the greatest person in the world." He couldn't read her expression, but he really wanted to know. "I'm not Shanahan."

"No," she said. "You're definitely not Pete."

They stared at each other for a moment, while Jack tried to figure out what she meant by that remark.

"Uh, Carter? Is that good or bad?"

Her laughter was music to his ears. Even if it was just a chuckle, he had made her smile and he liked her smiles.

"I just meant that you and Pete are so different. He is warm and caring, and you can be a little cold sometimes." He frowned at that, but she kept going. "But you are the one who can make me laugh, and..."

"And?"

She was definitely worried now. Jack could see it in her face as she looked for the right words. He didn't blame her. He was a little afraid of what her admission could mean to their futures. But he waited patiently, hoping that she would tell him her feelings anyway.

"And I've loved you for a long time," she said, having fought past her fears.

Now that the words were spoken, Jack didn't know what to say. Visions of Carter in near death and dire situations passed through his mind as he stared at her. He cared so deeply for her, so much so that he had even admitted to those feelings to her when they were both enslaved by Administer Caldwell on that ice planet. But he pushed those feelings aside when his memory came back. They both knew they couldn't go any further with a relationship, not if they wanted to continue with SG-1.

Carter turned away, her features showing her pain. He had hurt her by not saying anything in return, but he wasn't sure he was ready to tell her his own feelings.

She pulled away from him and Jack let her go. He watched her as she lay down on her side with her back to him. It was better this way, he thought as he fought against the urge to pull her back into his arms. They had their careers to worry about.

Carter sighed heavily, and Jack found himself wondering why it was so hard for him to tell her the truth. She had already admitted to loving him, why couldn't he reciprocate? He cared deeply for her, had thrown aside his pride in order to marry her so that she could live. Wasn't that proof enough for her to know how he felt?

"Sam," he said, willing to give it the old college try. "Look. I'm sorry. It's just that I can't get past the fact that I'm your CO." She didn't move, which Jack took as a positive. At least she wasn't spitting at him. "I care about you a lot. Really. I just... Well, I'm so used to hiding it that I can't let go just like that."

"It's okay, sir," she said. She sounded angry again, which brought on another frown from Jack. "I understand."

Jack didn't believe her. In fact, he was starting to get a little angry that he was the one always walking on eggshells. "Don't lie to me, Carter."

She didn't respond, which was just as well. A full-blown argument wouldn't have been the right thing to do considering the circumstances. Silence built up which gave Jack the opportunity to dwell on his feelings, as well as what he should say to the woman who still had her back to him.

He looked out toward the room, watching as tendrils of color from the firelight spread out across the ceiling. Now that all was quiet, he could hear the fire crackling and he was reminded of the stillness of his cabin in Minnesota.

How he wished he was there right now.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam lay on the bed, angry and upset with herself for telling the General about her feelings. She should have known better. Hadn't he shown her how he felt? From the moment he had arrived, he made it plain that he didn't feel for her in that way. But he had kissed her, a warm passionate kiss, and like a fool, she had let her guard down. Now she was humiliated beyond belief.

She was grateful for the silence. She didn't want to hear his false attempts to explain himself. He was used to hiding it, he said. Yeah, well, so was she. For years, Sam had refused to let him know her thoughts for fear that he would spurn her for his career. Or worse, reject her with kind words meant to put her off the trail.

But then there were times when she thought for sure that he had some deeper feelings for her. He had admitted to caring about her more than he should in order to prove that he wasn't a Za'tarc, and she still carried around the memory of him telling her that he remembered having feelings for her when she thought his name was Jonah. Those were quiet times, private and intimate, yet fuel for her yearning to be with him as a lover.

The bed shifted, and she stiffened when she realized that he was lying down as well. He put his hand on her shoulder, but she refused to give in. There were also the times when he had proven without a doubt that he had been lying to her about his feelings. Like when she went to Edora to bring him back. Finding him in Laira's embrace nearly killed her.

He pulled up close to her and put his mouth on her shoulder, the warmth of his breath sending a thrill down her spine.

"We need to talk about this," he said into her shoulder.

Sam tried hard to ignore the sensations he was creating and held herself as stiff as possible. The blanket was still between them, creating a barrier that she was grateful for. She wanted to be sure that nothing got in the way of her keeping her distance.

"It's okay, sir. Really. I understand."

He made an exasperated sound against her shoulder, which had Sam closing her eyes. If he would just give her some space, she could fight this.

"Do you?" His voice had taken on a sultry tone, sending more shivers down Sam's back. She nodded, although she had already forgotten what he was asking her. His hand was now trailing along her skin, while his mouth moved toward her neck and she turned over willingly when he tugged on her arm.

He pulled away to look at her, leaving Sam feeling bereft. But she waited, not willing to be the one to initiate this. She still remembered being turned away the night before.

"I still have those feelings, Sam."

Moisture welled up in her eyes at that admission. She smiled sadly while nodding her head, but she still wondered what those words meant.

"What kind of feelings?"

He reached over to touch her face, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. Sam closed her eyes for a second, loving the way he made her feel right then. Despite her worries and fears, the touch of his fingers and his words were pulling her in. Sam knew right then that she wouldn't fight it. Lying in this bed with him felt so right.

She opened her eyes and reached up to grab his arm, the rattling of the chains as she moved reminding her of their fate. But she touched his fingers, holding them to her face and smiled at the look in his eyes. He wanted her. That's all she needed.

"Feelings that go way deeper than I should be admitting to," he said, as he grabbed the blanket she had used like a shield and slid in underneath it to hover over her.

Sam nearly forgot to breathe. He was so close, she could feel the heat radiating off of his body. She let go of his hand so that she could touch his face, the stubble against her fingers rough and sensual. He came in for a kiss, and she slid her arms around his neck, pulling him close.

This was what she wanted. His mouth was warm, his hands sliding to her back and hugging her tightly. She no longer cared about the words he didn't speak, or the feelings he was afraid to admit to. All she wanted right then was to hold him, to make love to him, and she shifted her body to get even closer, moaning softly when his hand found her breast. It felt good and it felt right.

This was what she'd always wanted.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was the silence that was bothering Jack. He didn't know what he really expected to happen after making love to Sam, but he was still disappointed that no one came in to release them from the chains.

He lay there and smiled up at the ceiling. Despite his disappointment over not being released immediately, he was still on a high from making love to Sam, who was everything he had expected and more. Her eagerness had surprised him, but then again, that was probably one of the reasons why he was already thinking about the next time.

She lay next to him with her head on his shoulder. Silence surrounded them as Jack's thoughts turned to his feelings and why it was so hard for him to explain anything to this woman. They had been friends and teammates for over nine years. He knew her weaknesses, her strengths, and yet he couldn't find it in him to talk to her, to give her the reassurances she needed.

"They'll be here soon," she said. Jack nodded, knowing that she was right. He stroked her hair as he stared out at nothing, trying hard to work past his fears.

"General?"

"Drop the title, Sam."

She looked up at him and smiled. So very beautiful, Jack thought, as he grinned back at her.

"Jack." He nodded firmly at her then went back to stroking her hair when she lay back down on his shoulder. "I was just thinking," she said, her voice low and hesitant. "That no matter what, I have no regrets."

Now that sounded way too ominous. He stopped smoothing out her hair for a moment, before deciding that he was reading too much into her statement. Still he needed to make sure.

"No matter what?" he asked, wondering what she could possibly be thinking. "We consummated this marriage, Sam. They have no reason to stone anybody to death now."

"No," she said, as she shook her head, her hair tickling his neck. "I meant this." She rose up to look into his face, her expression somber. "What we did here." He stared at her, understanding dawning as he realized the extent of their actions. But she was wrong. Things didn't have to end here.

"We can make it work out," he told her. Her expression turned to surprise, then to a wary, guarded look, which had Jack doubting her intentions. "That is, if you want it to," he hurried to add.

She continued to stare at him, her eyes searching his face, probably looking for sincerity. Jack tried to look sincere, but his thoughts strayed when she leaned into him and kissed him. "I want it to," she whispered when she came up for air.

He smiled at her, relieved that things were going easier for him. But he wanted to make sure that she believed him. "So do I," he said, as he rolled them both over so that he could pin her down on the bed. "And just for the record, those feelings I'm always talking about?" She put her fingers to his mouth, stopping him from saying anything. Jack kissed them while staring into her eyes.

"You don't have to say anything," she said, as Jack moved his mouth down to kiss the inside of her wrist.

"All right," he said with a teasing grin. "I'll keep it to myself then." He trailed kisses along her arm, skimming over the smoothness then turned his attention to her lips and kissing her passionately. "I love you too," he said, when he finally ended the kiss, then smiled back at her when she beamed.

"Are you just saying that?"

Women, he thought, as he nuzzled her neck. "Yeah," he said sarcastically, not able to keep the smile off of his face. "I'm just saying that." She giggled, whether because she knew he was kidding, or she was ticklish, he didn't know. But he kissed her neck anyway, before rising up to stare into her eyes.

"I love you Sam. I have for a long time now." She reached up to run her fingers along his jaw, while staring into his eyes and Jack could see that she believed him. "We will make it work."

"I know we will, Jack," she said with conviction.

It was a start, he thought as he kissed her again. And Jack really was the optimist. No matter what, things were going to work out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They had been chained to the bed for hours. Sam couldn't pin down exactly how long they had been held prisoner, but then again, she and Jack had been fairly busy for the most part. She smiled at that thought. He said that he loved her and she believed him. Despite the chains and hunger that put a damper on the whole situation, she was definitely glad she had come to this planet.

A low rumbling coming from her right caught her attention, and she realized that she wasn't the only one who was hungry. She grinned at Jack, as he eyed the tray of food on the table next to her side of the bed.

"Think we should try it?" he asked with a hopeful look on his face.

She shrugged, then reached over to grab the tray and set it down on the bed between them. "I suppose it couldn't hurt."

They were both sitting up against the wall, the blanket providing a decent covering in case anyone walked in unannounced. Jack reached down and grabbed a piece of bread, looking at it with a wary eye, before bringing it up to his nose to smell it. Shrugging his shoulders, he popped the bread into his mouth and chewed with gusto.

"Sounds good," she said, in reference to the appreciative noises he made as he ate. He laughed while Sam grabbed her own bread. They ate in silence, nearly wolfing it down to ease their hunger. Sam finally leaned back against the wall, feeling stuffed and ready for a nap. She looked at the door, wondering when they were going to be released.

"I hope they show up soon," Jack said, apparently interpreting her thoughts correctly.

"It would be nice," she added sarcastically. She was more than ready to get out of the chains.

Jack threw the remains of the food onto the tray and leaned back to rest his back against the wall. "What do you want to bet that old woman comes in here and swears we need more time?"

That thought had Sam scowling. "Meddling old biddy," she grumbled.

Laughter broke through her gloom, and she turned to see Jack smiling at her. "And here I thought you liked being chained to this bed with me," he said with a hurt tone. She smiled back at him, knowing that he wanted out as badly as she did.

Her smile dimmed though, as she thought about what would happen once they did get out of the chains. Despite his words that everything was going to work out, Sam still had her doubts. Jack was her commanding officer. There was no way they could go on with their love affair without some kind of reprimand.

"What?" he asked, concern replacing his smile.

"Nothing," she said, as she shook her head.

He wasn't buying it though. "Come on, Sam. Something's wrong. I can see it in your face."

She stared down at her hands, wishing she shared his optimism. "No one has to know about what we did here, right?" She looked up to see that he was frowning, but now that she was thinking clearly, she knew that this was the only way they both could escape unscathed. "We go back to Earth and keep all this to ourselves."

"Is that what you want?" He seemed angry, but she couldn't be sure by his expression.

"No," she had to admit. "Not really. It's just that I don't want you to lose your job over this." She put on a brave smile, as she said, "I appreciate what you've done for me Jack. I will always be grateful."

"I'll talk to Hammond," Jack said, completely ignoring her. "Between him and President Hayes, everything will work out." Sam shook her head, but Jack didn't seem to be fazed by her denials. "They've been talking to me about replacing Hammond as head of Homeland Security, and I've been putting off making any decisions." He smiled at her, then said, "I didn't want to take a job that would keep me from seeing you on a regular basis."

God, Sam thought, as she realized what he was telling her. How could she fight him when he knew exactly which buttons to push to sway her to his way of thinking? "That's not fair," she said, her thoughts in a turmoil. "I'm trying to do the right thing here, and you blindside me with stuff like that."

He grinned at her, and even though she tried not to, she smiled back at him. He was incorrigible, she decided. Roguish and lovable, and she was beginning to like the thoughts she had of the two of them in a relationship.

"We'll make it work," he said.

"I hope so."

He nodded, but Sam didn't get a chance to say anything else because there was a knock on the door. She and Jack stared at each other in surprise, then scrambled to make sure they were decent. The door opened suddenly and Tairen walked in, followed by the girl who had accompanied her earlier.

"You can let us go now," Jack said, his voice low and menacing.

The old woman stared at them for a moment, then nodded. She walked over to the bed, but instead of opening the manacles, she grabbed the tray and gave it to the girl, who took it over to the table in front of the fireplace and set it down.

Sam watched her for a moment, then turned her attention to Tairen, wondering when she was going to release them.

"We did what you wanted us to do," Jack said, anger simmering in every word he spoke. A chill went down Sam's spine as she remembered the last time he used that tone of voice. He was pissed and the only thing saving Tairen was the chain around his wrist.

"I will summon the elders tomorrow," Tairen said, apparently unaware of the danger she was in. Or maybe she had faith in the chains. "I'm sure they will set you free at that time." She turned away and Sam saw that the girl was now feeding the fire, throwing wood into the pit and stirring up the embers. Anger rose up in Sam's heart as she realized that she had gotten her hopes up for nothing.

"You evil old hag," she said, nearly spitting out the words in her rage. "We did what you asked. Now let us go."

Tairen shook her head sadly, then turned to walk over to the chair by the table. She picked up something and brought it back to the bed, setting it down on the blanket covering their feet. Jack lunged for her at that moment, cursing when the chain wouldn't reach far enough for him to grab onto his target. Tairen pulled back in fright, while the girl came running to the rescue. Both stood back from the bed, the girl glaring at Jack through lowered lashes, while Tairen pulled her away with trembling hands. He had scared that old witch, which pleased Sam to no end. She just wished that Jack had been successful in grabbing her. The elders seemed to revere Tairen, which made her valuable as a hostage.

Sam watched as the door closed behind Tairen and her friend, sighing heavily when she heard the lock turn in the door. "It's not like we can break out of these chains to even get to the door," she said grumpily.

"Maybe they're locking it to keep people out."

Sam nodded, but didn't respond. The only people who would want to come in were Daniel and Teal'c, and Sam highly doubted they would get within ten feet of the place.

"At least she gave us back our clothes," she said as she pointed at the pile on the end of the bed. "We don't have to sit around naked anymore."

"What's wrong with sitting around naked?" He was leering at her, which brought another smile to her face.

"I would prefer not to be naked when those elders walk in that door."

He nodded at that, while Sam stared into his face. He was still angry. She could see it in his eyes, even though he tried to hide it. She knew the feeling all too well. There was no reason to keep them there any longer. Sam was properly married and no longer a threat to the society. What was the purpose of holding them prisoner for another day?

"Well, it seems we're going to be staying here for awhile longer," Jack said with a sigh. "I suppose we don't need to get dressed right away, do we?" He turned to look at her, a glint in his eyes that told her exactly where his thoughts were heading. "We might as well make the best of this, right?"

Sam grinned as she nodded in agreement. The man was definitely incorrigible, but in a good way, she decided, as she moved into his arms. She liked that about him.


	7. Chapter 7

They were partially dressed when the elders came in the next morning. There were no problems getting into their pants, but with the manacles around their wrists, getting into a shirt was near impossible. Jack didn't even bother, but he did get some amusement as he watched Sam work on figuring out the puzzle. She ended up taking the blanket and wrapping it around her chest, leaving her shoulders bare.

It was a bit too much skin for the elders. They resolutely refused to look at her. In fact, they turned their backs while demanding that she use the blanket to cover everything up. Jack could see that Sam was seriously considering telling them where to shove their delicate sensibilities, but he wanted to be rid of the chains.

"Just do it," he whispered.

She nodded with a sullen glare. Daniel and Teal'c rushed in at that moment, but Sam had already wrapped the blanket around her shoulders like a shawl.

"Jack!" Daniel said, his expression worried. He looked back and forth between Jack and Sam, his worried expression turning to puzzlement. "Sam, you okay?"

"Just peachy," Jack said, as he raised his left arm to indicate the chain. "Although the hospitality in this place needs a lot of improvement."

The elders apparently didn't seem to care what Jack thought, or decided to ignore the insult. "I suppose where you come from the women are always so immodest?" one of them asked with a jab in Sam's direction.

Despite his anger, Jack had to grin. "Oh, you have no idea."

The elders scowled and a few mumbled something to each other, but Jack was past caring about anything but the manacle around his wrist.

"We are properly married," he said with a snarl. "You have no choice but to release us."

"In due time," Shorty said. Jack raised up suddenly, ready and willing to smash that guy into the ground. He was hampered by the chain, but they couldn't keep him there forever.

"Release them now," Teal'c said in a tone that brooked no argument. He took a step forward, but was held back by a spear that was thrust in front of him at that moment. He turned his head slowly to look at the man holding the spear, the expression on his face guaranteed to scare the daylights out of just about everybody. But the guy with the spear held his ground and Teal'c didn't push it, mainly due to the other spears and a few knives pointed toward him. It was a tense moment, yet Jack could see that Teal'c was contemplating going for it anyway.

"What's the holdup this time?" Daniel asked calmly, once again playing the peacemaker. "They've done what you asked. You have no reason to keep them chained up like this anymore."

"We wish to continue with the negotiations," Shorty said. "Without the woman." Daniel nodded, while Sam huffed indignantly. She hated not being taken seriously by men, but Jack hated being held a prisoner.

"After what you just did to us?" It never failed to amaze him the gall these people had. "You want us to work out a trade after chaining us to the wall and keeping us a prisoner?"

"You have a fine wife," Shorty said, as he indicated Sam with a wave of his hand. "You should be thanking us."

Jack stared at the guy in amazement. Could anybody really be that dense? He turned to Daniel, anger making him snap the words, "Daniel. Hit him for me, will you?"

Daniel looked down to hide his smirk, while Shorty took a few steps away from him. "We wish to trade for knowledge and medicines," he said warily. "In return we will allow you to mine for the metal you find valuable."

"We will continue the negotiations," Jack said reluctantly. After all, it was in their best interest to so. Earth needed the trinium. "I'll send back another team to work out the details."

The elders put their heads together as they talked amongst themselves, while Jack turned to Daniel to give him a 'what is this' look. Daniel shrugged, clearly telling Jack to sit tight for a bit.

Jack waited. He didn't have a choice. He turned to look at Sam, who glanced back at him with a worried expression. He gave her an encouraging smile just as Shorty spoke up.

"We have your word?" It was clear he didn’t trust Jack as far as he could throw him and was worried he would say anything to get released. Jack didn't blame him a bit. But he also knew that they needed the trinium, so he nodded.

"I give you my word that I will send back another team."

One of the other elders nodded, then said, "Release them from the chains." The elders turned as one to walk out the door, while one of the men threatening Teal'c came over to the bed to do the honors.

Jack held up his arm, watching as the man took a long, slender rod and touched it to the side of the manacle around his wrist. The manacle opened effortlessly, separating at a point where Jack would have sworn didn't even have a slit in the metal when closed. He stared in surprise at Sam, who had been watching with a keen eye the whole time. He could tell that she was impressed, and he rolled his eyes when he saw her avidly watching as her own manacle was removed.

"May I see that?" she asked, as she reached for the rod.

The man snarled viciously and jerked the rod back out of her reach. "You dare," he said in a threatening tone. He looked like he was going to hit her, and Jack reacted.

"She's my woman," he growled, as he jumped off the bed and grabbed the guy's arm. They stared at each other angrily for a few moments, until the other man backed down with a warning.

"She should be punished."

Jack didn't respond. He didn't need to. The moment was over and he watched as the man stomped out of the room, followed by his friends. Teal'c walked over to the door to make sure they all were gone, while Jack picked up his shirt and jacket. He was all for getting off that planet as soon as possible.

"Tell me again why we need to negotiate anything with these people," he said as he glared at the door.

"Trinium," Daniel said with a smirk. "Earth's defenses. Successful mission. All that good stuff."

"Oh yeah," Jack said, as he buttoned his shirt. He looked over at Sam and shook his head when he saw she was making a thorough inspection of the manacles. "We're never going to find out what makes them work," he was obligated to tell her. She looked up with a surprised expression, but Jack was ready to go. "Come on. Get dressed and let's get out of here."

"Oh. Yeah. Of course." She dropped the manacle and reached down to pick up her clothes. She looked around for a moment, then turned to them with a nervous expression.

"Um…," she said, obviously wondering how she was going to get dressed in a room full of men. Jack and Daniel both grinned at her discomfort, while Teal'c did the gentleman thing.

"We will leave you to get dressed, Colonel Carter," he told her gravely, while Jack went over to pick up his boots.

Daniel followed Teal'c to the door, but turned to Jack to ask, "So what's going to happen now?"

"Happen?"

"Between you and Sam."

Jack stopped and looked at him. Daniel stared back curiously, while Jack mulled over what to tell him. He looked over at Sam, who had stopped short of dropping the blanket completely, and he smiled conspiratorially at her.

"Well, you know how it is." He took Daniel by the shoulder and led him toward the door. "Did I mention that I had been offered a position in Washington?"


	8. Epilogue

The plane landed on the tarmac, jolting Sam from her thoughts of a joyful reunion with Jack. They had only been legally married for six months, and she hated that they spent the majority of that time apart. But they had their careers to think about, and Sam would rather see him on these sporadic meetings than to have him resent her intrusions on his work.

She smiled again as she thought about the reunion. He said he would meet her at the airport, but Sam knew that things sometimes come up at the most inopportune times. She would see him at the airport, or at their house. Either way, she looked forward to seeing him again.

People were getting up from their seats and Sam followed their lead, ignoring the niggling feelings of dread that crept up inside her. He was not going to like hearing her news, but she had made the decision, and she had a well-thought out argument ready to employ when the time came. She just needed to plan her strategy carefully in order to soften the blow.

She walked out of the plane, scanning the sea of faces, looking for the only one that meant the world to her. He may not be here, she reminded herself sternly, but she still looked about anxiously. She really hoped nothing had come up.

There was no sign of her husband anywhere. Sam kept walking, feeling a little disappointed. She was almost to the stairs that would take her down to the luggage area when she heard a low voice behind her.

"Colonel Carter?"

She grinned at her first thought. She had almost responded with a "Sir." Her smile grew when she turned around, threw her arms around Jack and kissed him with an enthusiasm that almost knocked him over. He held her tightly and they stood there in the middle of the airport acting like teenagers. He pulled back from the kiss and grinned at her.

"I've missed you," he said.

"It's been too long," she told him, as she gave him the once over. He seemed tired, which worried her. "You're working too hard again, aren't you?"

"Not like I have a choice," he said with a shrug, just before he pulled her into a hug. "Occupational hazard."

She smiled, but was still worried. "I know what you mean," she whispered. He pulled back and gave her a mock frown, but she turned away and led him toward the stairs. "Let's go get my bags so we can go home and relax."

"Relax?" he said as he leaned close to her. "Who said anything about relaxing?"

Same old Jack, she thought as she laughed. They talked of inane things as they waited for her luggage and on the way to the car. She told him about her brother's car accident and Daniel's goodbye note that he wrote before he found out he wasn't going to the Pegasus Galaxy. He told her about the renovations going on in the house and Teal'c's cross-country road trip when he came to visit Jack. Sam had already heard Teal'c's version of the trip, even going so far as telling her that, "O'Neill was happy to see that he had arrived in one piece." But Jack's version of the reactions of Washington politicians who had the privilege of meeting with Teal'c were far more interesting and extremely entertaining. How she wished she had been there to witness that scene.

Jack's phone rang as they were en route to their home, and Sam sat back to enjoy the scenery while he was otherwise occupied. Washington had been her home for so many years, and she loved the city, even with the tourists gawking at the staff car as it passed. She shook her head, then turned to see if Jack was showing signs of getting off the phone. He was so damn gorgeous, she thought as he sat there in his dress blues, holding the phone up to his ear and staring out the window. So lost, she thought sadly. He nodded at whatever was being said to him, then turned to look at her, a bright smile emerging from the sadness she witnessed a few seconds ago.

"Let me get back to you on that," he said into the phone. Sam turned to look out the window then, realizing that she had been staring at him. "I know, but it can wait," Jack said. "I'll call you tomorrow." He ended the call and looked up at her with his trademark sexy smile. "Now, where were we?"

"On our way to the house," she told him with what she hoped was an innocent look.

"Oh yeah," he said with a nod and a knowing smile.

She loved times like this, when he was playful and happy, and she was relaxed and so full of love for her husband, she sometimes thought her heart would burst. She never wanted it to end, but life rarely gave her everything she wanted. And with her news of rejoining SG-1, Sam was pretty sure a fight was looming in the very near future.

That can wait, she decided as the car turned down their street. She and Jack would spend some quality time together, then tackle the sticky issues tomorrow. She sighed happily when the car turned into the driveway of their house. No matter what, they would work through their differences and be much better for it. They had suffered through worse times and survived them. They would survive this.

She stepped out of the car and followed Jack up to the door, barely making it inside before he grabbed her and began kissing her passionately. She kissed him back and reached for the buttons on his jacket as he frantically tried to undo hers. There would be time to tell him her decision. All the time in the world.


End file.
